Apple working on revamped iTunes, to unveil it later this year

Apple reportedly is working on a revamped version of iTunes that it plans to unveil before the year ends.

Among the biggest changes coming to iTunes, which hasn't received a major overhaul since its launch in 2003, will be closer integration with iCloud and more features to improve the discoverability of the available content in Apple's digital store.

After Apple launched iCloud last summer, it's been working the cloud computing service more closely into many of its services. A more integrated iCloud with iTunes would be intended to allow users to more seamlessly access and manage their media content.

As for discoverability, Apple wants to make it easier for people to share songs with each other. Evidence of that was seen earlier this month when the tech company announced it would integrate iTunes with Facebook and Twitter.

But now Apple wants to take sharing to a new level, and it is working with major record labels for the rights to let users share songs with each other and listen to songs they receive from friends for free, according to Bloomberg.

The iTunes overhaul also comes with the purpose of helping improve how users manage their content and access the content they already own, according to the report, which cites people with knowledge of the matter that weren't authorized to speak about the plans since they are not yet public.

The report also says Apple has been asking music labels for more band pictures and videos in order to add more multimedia features to iTunes.

And while many people have been calling for it, the report says do not expect Apple to announce a new subscription-based service similar to Spotify. One of the report's sources says the Cupertino, Calif., company is not likely to announce anything like that.